Analysis and commentary on the Middle East and American policy

October 1-8, 2012 Links

Jordan, a nation which lacks natural resources and is heavily dependent on foreign assistance, is a strong US ally. While King Abdullah has prevented “Arab Spring” uprisings like in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen and Syria, he faces unprecedented challenges. A growing number of Jordanians are advocating that Jordan transform from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. A few have faced criminal charges for directly criticizing the King.

The main stream media does not provide much coverage on Jordan. Here are some interesting stories from last week in case you missed.